Proposals for a massive 2,000-acre solar farm in north Wiltshire’s Malmesbury area have sparked fierce opposition, with 88% of the respondents rejecting the current plans in the initial consultation phase. The lime-down solar park would span multiple villages, including Norton, and generate enough power for 115,000 homes.
Island Green Power (IGP), the project’s developer, received over 750 responses, citing concerns about visual impact, soil and farming, biodiversity, heritage, transport, drainage, and battery safety. The campaign group Stop Lime Down has been vocal in opposition, arguing the project would disfigure the countryside.
Phil Moore, a campaign member, emphasized that opposition isn’t about benign anti-solar, but rather the project’s enormous size and potential harm to the landscape. “It will disfigure this countryside for miles and miles around,” he said.
Not everyone opposes the plans, however, Lesley Bennett, a former Malmesbury mayor, supports the project, citing the need to address climate change. “It is for the sake of our children, our grandchildren,” she said.
IGP will conduct a second consultation in early 2025, incorporating feedback to refine the proposals. Will Threlfall, senior project development manager, acknowledged the importance of community input in shaping the project.
If approved, construction on the lime-down solar park wouldn’t begin until 2027. The project’s massive scale requires government approval, with the local council serving as a consultation.
As the lime-down solar farm debate continues, the community’s voice will play a critical role in shaping the project’s future. The fight against the solar farm plans remains a contentious issue in the face of the proposed lime-down solar park.
